Fujifilm, which had only just announced new bridge cameras in January, took the wraps off yet another megazoom model, the FinePix S8400W. Unlike those models, the S8400W packs in an enhanced CMOS sensor, a long 44x optical zoom, and built-in Wi-Fi.
The 44x optical zoom (24-1056mm) has an aperture range of F/2.9-6.5 and optical image stabilization. There’s also a Super Macro mode for up-close shots of 0.39 inches. Like the lens in the previously announced FinePix S6800 and S4800, the S8400W’s “consists of 17 elements in 12 groups, and combines aspherical and ED elements that help to reduce aberrations and promote a superior level of image quality,” according to Fujifilm.
Similar to the S6800, the S8400W uses a 16-megapixel back-illuminated (BSI) CMOS sensor for improved low-noise image capture (ISO up to 12,800). The camera has a 0.3-second autofocus speed and burst mode of up to 10 frames per second (versus the 8 fps in the S6800). Startup time is 1 second with a shutter lag of half-a-second.
When connected to a smartphone or tablet via the Fujifilm Camera Application for iOS and Android, users can transfer photos and movies from the camera to the device, which can then be uploaded to the Web. Users can also connect to a computer via a Wi-Fi router for file transfers or automated backups.
Other features include a 3-inch LCD (460k dots), a mode dial for quick selection of shooting modes (including manual mode), an electronic viewfinder (201k dot) for DSLR-like framing, Full HD movie capture at 1080i/60 fps with stereo sound, and creative effects. The S8400W runs off 4 AA batteries, which Fujifilm says will garner approximately 300 shots.
Look for this megazoom in May 2013 for $350.
